Mortarboard



Feb. 16, 1954 J. FUHRMANN MORTARBOARD Filed Nov. 4, 1950 INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE John Fuhrmann, Ebenezer, N. Y.

Application November 4, 1950, Serial No. 194,159

2 Claims. (01. 725-135) This invention relates to mortar boards and particularly to a collapsible metal, self-supported, table-like mortar board.

' It is an object of the invention to provide a mortar board which is non-absorbent and therefore' does not draw moisture from mortar placed thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mortar board of the character described which is collapsible to facilitate its transportation and storage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mortar board of the character described which is provided with means for supporting a heating device to delay or retard cooling of the mortar in cold weather.

Still another object of the invention is to provide amortar board of the character described which is of inexpensive but strong and. durable construction and which is easily erected and dismantled.

' Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: V

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the mortar board of the present invention with the top plate thereof removed and turned on edge to showthe retaining pins on the bottom thereof; Fig. 2 is a side 'elevational view of the mortar board of the present invention with a portion of 'one of the supporting legs broken away to show the connection of the leg with the top plate;

Fig. 3 is a transverse, sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the supports for the mortar board in folded position.

The mortar board of the present invention comprises a table having a pair of attached supports II and I2 and a removable top plate I3. Each of the supports II and I2 is formed of a pair of parallel legs I6 which are joined by a cross-bar I! which preferably is rigidly attached at each of its ends to one of the legs. The supports II and I2 are pivotally connected in crossed or intersecting relation as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, by suitable means such as a bolt I8 and a nut IS, the bolt passing through holes provided in the cross-bars H at their point of intersection an being held in place by the nut I9.

Preferably, each leg I6 is provided at its lower end with a base or foot 22. While the leg may be of any desired construction, it is preferred to form them of lengths of tubular metal such as pipe and when so formed the feet 22 may also be conveniently formed of metal and may readily be attached to the bottom ends of the legs I6 by welding. When the legs I6 are formed of metal the cross-bars I1 are preferably also formed of metal rods or pipes of smaller diameter than the legs and are secured to the legs by welding. Regardless of how the legs'are constructed or of what material, a hollow space 24 is provided in each of the legs at the upper end thereof.

The removable top plate I3 of the mortar board of the present invention preferably projects beyond the supports II and I2 and is preferably formed of metal. It may be conveniently cut from a sheet of metal such as steel, aluminum or the like. A plurality of spaced metal pins 26 are secured to the bottom of the plate I3 by suitable and convenient means such as welding. The pins 26 are so spaced as to enter the hollow'spaces 24 in the legs I6 when the supports '-I I and I2 are pivoted to place the cross-bars I! at right angles, as shown in Fig. 3. Where, as shown in the drawings, the top plate is rectangular, the pins 26 are advantageously placed adjacent the corners of the plate. By the interlocking of the pins with the legs I6 the top plate I3 is prevented from falling or sliding from the supports II and I2 and the supports are maintained in open position to'provide a stable base for the plate I3.

In'cold weather mortar exposed on a mortar board quickly-becomes cool or chilled and is hard to apply. Such chilling may be retarded or reduced by providing heating means for the mortar. As will be seen in the drawing, a small plate or shelf 28 is attached to the cross-bar I! of the support II. There may be placed on the shelf 28 under the top plate I3 a suitable heating device such as a lamp or heater 29 from which heat is directed upwardly to the plate. Since the latter is of metal, the heat is readily conducted to the upper surface thereof and cooling or chilling of the mortar thereon is retarded.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the construction of the table forming the mortar board of the present invention is simple but that a durable, strong and rigid structure is obtained. Since the base for the board formed by the supports I I and I2 is firm and the pins 28 carried by the top plate I3 lock the supports in open or extended position, mortar boards constructed in accordance with the present invention are suitable for use as supports for; planks in forming a scaffold or for other purposes.

The use of a metal sheet as the top plate of the mortar board is advantageous since such a plate is non-absorbent. Hence the consistency of the mortar is not affected by absorption of water therefrom as is common with the standard wooden mortar boards. The plate I3 is also smooth and non-splintering and hence no splinters or chips become mixed with the mortar. Furthermore, the plate has good heat-conducting properties and thus allows the cooling of mortar in cold weather to be materially retarded by the provision of a source of heat under the plate.

The construction of the supports H and I2 for the table l3-and the connection between the plate I3 and the supports are such that in set up or erected position the table is rigid and firm while.

when the to plate 13 is removed from the supports the supports may be folded together, as shown in Fig. 4, to occupy materially less room than when extended (as showninl ig. .3). This is an advantage in that storage space or space required during transportation may be conserved. In setting up the table it is merely necessary to open the supports l i and E2 to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and then to place each of the downwardly projecting pins 25 on. the plate [3 in the hollow space 24 at the upper end of one of the legs Hi.

It will be understood that various modifications and changes in the construction described and shown in the accompanying drawings may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, the table may be oblong rather than square, or, if desired, the top plate l3 may be formed in circular or other non-rectangular shape. The feet 22 on the legs. It may be of a different shape than that illustrated and may, if desired, be detachable. Moreover, if desired thev metal parts of the device may be formed of suitable corrosion-resisting metal or may be iven a corrosionresisting coating toflenable them to withstand without deterioration contact with mortar. It is not intended, therefore, that the invention should be limited except by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An all metal collapsible mortar board, comprising four tubular parallel metal legs open at their upper ends, a metal top plate removably resting on the upper ends of said legs, four metal pins fast to and projecting downwardly from said metal top plate and each removably fitted in the open upper end of a corresponding one of said of said legs substantially midway of the height of said pair of legs, a second horizontal metal cross bar fixed at its opposite ends to the other diagonally opposite pair of said legs immediately abovesaid first metal cross bar, a fastener having a shank extending through registering vertical holes in said metal cross bars and permitting said legs and metal cross bars to be swung to a nested condition around the axis of said shank following removal of said top plate, said pairs of legs being Wholly disconnected from each other above said second cross bar except for said pins and said top plate, and a small horizontal metal plate mounted on the center of said second metal cross bar substantially at the center thereof and adapted to support a heater for heating said top plate in cold weather.

2. An all metal collapsible mortar board, comprising four round tubular parallel metal legs open at their upper ends, a metal top plate removably resting on the upper ends of said. legs, four metal pins fast to and projecting downwardly from said metal to plate and each fitted in the open upper end of a corresponding one of said legs, a first horizontal tubular metal cross bar fixed. at its opposite ends to one diagonally opposite pair of said legs substantially midway of the height of said pair of legs, a second horizontal tubular metal cross bar fixed at its opposite ends to the other diagonally opposite pair of said legs immediately above said first metal cross bar, said pairs of le s being wholly disconnected from each other above said second cross bar except for said pins and to late, a small horizontal metal plate mounted on the center of said second metal cross bar substantially at the center thereof and adapted to support a. heater for heating said top plate in cold weather, and a fastener having a shank extending through registering vertical holes through the centers of said metal cross bars and small plate and permitting said legsito be swung to a nested condition following removal of said top plate.

JOHN FUI-IRMANN.

References Cited in the file .of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 566,934 Penfield Sept. 1,1896 871,254 Benjamin Nov. 19,190?

1,800,685 Grifiis Apr; 14, 1931 

